


Let's Pretend

by SchizoidFreak



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 03:50:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12123906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SchizoidFreak/pseuds/SchizoidFreak
Summary: For the Mass Effect Writer Circle, based on the prompt:Post-ME1 fake girlfriend trope fic. Where Kaidan convinces Shepard to pretend to be his girlfriend to stop his mother setting him up with random women while he's on shore leave. But they both have feelings for each other, and soon those feelings bubble out and they aren't acting...





	Let's Pretend

As Kaidan helped Shepard out of the skycab, her rapid heartbeat was the only clue she was more nervous than she let on. They made their way up the stairs leading to the entrance of his parents’ house; Kaidan was holding her hand, and she hoped he couldn’t feel the clamminess she imagined was there.

When they reached the door, he turned to look into her eyes. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this, Shepard.”

“Kaidan, if we’re going to convince your parents, you may want to start using my first name,” she teased.

He blushed slightly. “You’re right, of course… Kate.”

“Better,” she approved with a smile. Her heart was still going a thousand miles per second, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of the upcoming challenge or how adorable he looked. She suspected it was the latter.

Kaidan opened the door and they stepped inside, as he called out, “We’re here!”

“Finally!”

A petite woman with delicate features and streaks of gray in her dark brown hair emerged from the living room, grinning from ear to ear. “Welcome, welcome!”

Kaidan’s father followed closely, wearing the same broad smile. Shepard immediately noted that while Kaidan had his mother’s eyes, he was the spitting image of his father. Minus the white hair. Both parents looked kindly at the younger couple, and Shepard relaxed, despite the tiniest feeling of guilt nagging in the back of her mind.

Kaidan engulfed his mother in a hug, and Shepard extended her hand to shake his father’s, but the older man was having none of that. He pulled her into a hug as well and kissed both cheeks.

“Mom, Dad, this is Sh… Kate, Kate Shepard,” started Kaidan as he made the introductions. “Kate, these are my parents, Susan and Eric.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Alenko, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” smiled Shepard.

“Please, it’s Susan and Eric,” said Kaidan’s mother as she gathered Shepard into her arms for her own hug. “And where is your luggage?”

“We left it at the hotel,” replied Kaidan.

“What?! Absolutely not, you’re staying here!”

“We don’t want to bother you...”

“Mom, it’s fine...”

“Nonsense, it’s no bother! Your room is ready, call the hotel to have your luggage sent here,” the older woman instructed adamantly, a twinkle in her eye.

Shepard and Kaidan exchanged a glance. Clearly, neither had anticipated this turn of events. Their shore leave had just gotten a tad more complicated.

 

* * *

 

Later that evening, the four of them were settled comfortably outside on the balcony overlooking the marina, savoring after-dinner drinks. Kaidan had enjoyed dinner immensely, conversation flowing easily. He had loved watching Shepard interact with his parents; she had actually laughed a few times, a rich, musical laugh that had left him staring at her lips longer than he should have, especially in the presence of his parents.

Now they were sitting together on the swing couch, and he had his arm on Shepard’s shoulders. Where his skin came in contact with hers, there was a gentle warmth, and Kaidan wondered how she didn’t hear how loud and unsettled his pulse was. Or, judging by her sidelong looks, perhaps she was aware after all…

“Well, it’s getting late for us old folks,” his mother declared suddenly, “we’re going to turn in now.”

Kaidan looked at the time. “Since when do you go to bed so early?”

“We need our beauty sleep, we’re not as young anymore!”

“We’re not that old either,” countered Kaidan’s father with a wink. “You know your mother just wants to give you some privacy.”

Kaidan blushed, while his mother lightly slapped his father’s hand. He sneaked a glance at Shepard and thought she had turned a darker shade as well.

After wishes for sweet dreams were exchanged and his parents retired for the night, Kaidan and Shepard sat back down on the swing couch. Kaidan wanted to put his arm on her shoulders again, but without his parents there, he felt he had no excuse, so he abstained and they sat in silence.

“Your parents are nice,” Shepard said softly after a while. “It was really kind of them to insist we stay with them.”

“Yeah… Yeah, they like you a lot, too, I can tell.”

“So, does this mean your mother will stop trying to arrange dates for you?”

Kaidan laughed. “I sure hope so. Now that she believes that I, uh, that I officially have a girlfriend, she should be satisfied.”

“I’m sure she just wants to see you happy.”

Kaidan wanted to tell her he was happy, that he’d never been happier than when he was serving with her, under her command, even when they had been chasing Saren across the galaxy, fighting the geth, risking their lives together, every day, that’s when he was the happiest, when they were together. But he kept quiet. They were supposed to be pretending. That was what she had agreed to, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t put her in an even more uncomfortable position. Even if it was for the benefit of his parents, just being able to hold her hand, to kiss her cheek, that was enough… Wasn’t it? He shouldn’t want to kiss her right now, when it was just the two of them…

She cleared her throat slightly, and Kaidan realized he had been staring again. But so was she…

 

* * *

 

Shepard sat, suddenly convinced that Kaidan was going to kiss her. She wanted him to kiss her. Sometime during the evening, she had stopped pretending. It felt so natural being with him here; the light touches, the shared looks, when he had kissed her cheek right before dinner… She couldn’t pretend anymore that she was unaffected. Being so close to him, in safe surroundings, when they didn’t have to worry about dying right this minute, being within arms’ reach without armor, it was doing things to her. And she didn’t want it to stop.

He was staring at her lips again, and she couldn’t help her tongue darting out briefly to moisten them. She wanted to grab him by the shoulders and tell him that he could stop pretending too, but despite all the signs, she was afraid he would turn her down. She was terrified he would reject her, even if it was glaringly obvious he was as attracted to her as she was to him.

“Maybe… maybe we should call it a night, too,” he said unexpectedly, without taking his eyes off of her lips.

She blushed; his eyes widened, and he backpedaled with a stutter. “I didn’t – I meant – I mean, I didn’t mean – I just...”

Shepard laughed. After a beat, he joined in.

“What a pair we make,” she said finally.

“A fine pair, Kate.”

She beamed, pleased beyond words that he had called her by her first name while it was just the two of them. Emboldened, she took his hand and stood up, tugging gently so he would follow. They shut off the lights and made their way upstairs to their room.

Once there, however, Shepard’s courage evaporated when they came face to face with the bed. Feeling self-conscious and awkward, she just stood there until he cleared his throat.

“I should still have some camping gear in a closet, I’ll get a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor.”

“What? No!” she exclaimed a little too vehemently.

He raised an eyebrow, and it was her turn to blush and backpedal. “I mean, don’t be ridiculous, we’re both rational adults, there’s no reason we can’t share a bed and still respect each other’s spaces.”

Was that disappointment on his face? But it was gone before she could be sure. She went to grab her bag for her toiletries and continued, “Besides, I know you’re a perfect gentleman.”

Before she realized what was happening, she felt him standing flush behind her.

“What if I don’t want to be a perfect gentleman?” he whispered huskily in her ear.

She closed her eyes in silent thanks and turned around, with a slight smirk. “Oh? What did you have in mind then?”

Kaidan looked into her eyes and leaned in, ever so slowly. Shepard held her breath, then sighed happily as his lips finally brushed against hers. It started out as a light, gentle kiss; he was barely tasting her, his fingers feathery touches on her hips, giving her ample opportunity to stop him if she wanted to. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

When they finally broke the kiss, they were both breathless. Kaidan rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t think we’ll be respecting each other’s spaces tonight...”

She chuckled. “I certainly hope not.”

 

 


End file.
